Distributor



June l0,v 1958 A v. SPENCER 2,838,153

INVENTOR i911 vlRclL SPENCER (h1 www.

ATTORNEY June 10, 1958 v. SPENCER 2,838,153

DISTRIBUTOR Y Filed June 3,` 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l.. l l I 5 l l Isf'5 mf 1 4 l I Il I I l/-l/ 2 I :H -F190 l Il JI 'FIE --h |:l 8/ Il 'fi e'H i" I4 In: lbf, L I |I E// /II Lr 4 f s j Il 7 u la INVENTOR '0 was".SPENCER L7 *MHT* ATTORNEY United States Patff@ p DISTRIBUTOR VirgilSpencer, East Petersburg, Pa., assignor to Armstrong Cork Company,Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Penn- Sylvania Application June 3,1954, Serial No. 434,286

3 Claims. (Cl. 193-23) ings, it has been found that a pleasing andunusual effect can be created by feeding the linoleum composition to apair of calender rolls at a controlled rate so as to prevent theformation of a bank of material in the nip of the calender rolls. Thisfeeding at a controlled rate prevents the excessive churning or millingaction which ordinarily takes place when the composition is fed from4 abank of material disposed in the nip of the calender rolls. When thequantity of material supplied to the rolls is controlled, the exactgraining formation on the finished sheet can be very accuratelycontrolled and different graining effects can be obtained by varying theamount of material fed to the calender rolls.

However, in producing a sheet from a controlled quantity of colorcomposition supplied topa calender, one of the main problems is to havea limited or controlled quantity of color composition disposed along thenip of the calender rolls. If the quantity of material along the nip ofthe calender roll is not carefully controlled, the sheet formed Will notbe uniform in graining or marbleizing effect; also, thevsheet'formedwill not be a solid sheet but will have holes in areas whereinsufficient color composition is. available to form the complete sheet.l

In the production of sheet material for floor and wall coverings onconventional equipment currently used in the industry, it is notpossible to distribute the material uniformly -along the nip of thecalender rolls without maintaining a substantial quantity of thematerial in a bank in the nip of the calender rolls.

One device suitable for controlling the amount of material supplied tothe calender rolls is illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l shows a top plan view of the composition distributing device;and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation on the lineY2-2 Of Figure l. l

ln the formation of the unique design effects here under consideration,one embodiment of which is disclosed in the copending application oflohn W. Emig,

' Serial No. 434,297, filed concurrently herewith, it is necessary toproduce a conventional jaspe or Marbelle sheet of linoleum or other hardsurface covering material in the c-onventional manner except without abacking. This sheet is then cut into small blocks approximately lVz x11/2" square. These blocks are fed to a sheeting calender in acontrolled manner, at which calender 'they are consolidated into acontinuous sheet. This sheet may be pressed onto a backing as it ispassed through a iinal finishing calender, or the sheet may be formedwithout a backing.

2,838,153 Patented .lune 10, 1958 ice The 11/2 x11/2 blocks are fed froma chute 2 into a funnel-shaped rotating chute 3. This rotating chute 3is mounted on a vertical shaft 4 which is driven by means not shown.This funnel is rotated at a speed of approximately revolutions perminute. The blocks which are fed down the chute into the funnel 3 passthrough the funnel 3 and while the lfunnel is rotated are distributedinto a plurality of segmental chambers in a stationary device positionedimmediately below the funnel and surrounding the shaft 4. These chambersare designated by the numeral 5 on Figure l. Beneath the chambers 5 isan inclined plate 6 divided into a plurality of parallel chutes 7. Inthe embodiment here under consideration, sixteen of these parallelchutes are illustrated and there are sixteen chambers 5, one for each ofthe parallel chutes. It will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific number shown in the embodiment here illustratedbut may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the particularproduct being manufactured.

Each chamber 5 is in communication with one of the parallel chutes 7through an intermediate chute 8. Thev bottom surface of the chambers 5is declined, as shown at 9, so that all of the composition blocksfalling into the chambers S Will fall by gravity into the chutes 8 andwill pass down through the funnel-shaped chutes 8 int-o the parallelchutes 7 with which the `chutes 8 are in communication. With thisarrangement, it will be obvious that a continuous flow of color blocksdown the chute 2 will be distributed evenly to the sixteencompartments 5by means of the rotating chute 3, and the blocks falling in each of thesixteen compartments 5 will be directed to the parallel chutes 7 so thatan even distribution of color blockswill be disposed across the entireWidth of the machine, which is `the length of the calender rolls 10 usedin consolidating the blocks into a solid sheet. The calender rolls'y 10are slightly in excess of six'feet in length and the sixteen chutes 7cover a` span of six feet, making the width Iof each chute'approximately 41/2". v

At the bottom of the chutes 7 the composition blocks are directed into atrough 11 which extends substantially the entire length of the calenderrolls. The trough 11 has a projection slot 12 which extends well downinto the nip between the calender rolls 10; The opening 13 in theprojection slot 12 is of a width4 greater than the thickness of thecomposition blocks but less than either of the other dimensions of theblocks so that the only manner in which the blocks can slide down intothe nip -of the calender rolls is ilatwise. The blocks will naturallyorient themselves in Ia flat position as they slide down the chute 7into the trough 11 and will maintain this at position down through theprojection 12 into the nip of the calender rolls 10. With thisarrangement, a continuous supply of color blocks Will be fed to thecalender rolls in a uniform manner across the entire length of thecalender`.rolls 10, but there will be insufficient material availablefor excessive churning or milling action at the nip. The speed ofoperation of the calender rolls 10 is synchronized with the speed atwhich the composition blocks are supplied to the chute 2. This meansthat only suicient blocks are supplied through chute 2 to form acontinuous sheet at the nip of the calender.

The angle at which `the projection slot 12 is disposed with respect tothe horizontal line is important in supplying the color composition tothe nip of the lcalender rolls in a -sullcient quantity to form a sheetwith the desired surface characteristics. For example, in Figure 2, theslot 12 is disposed at 'an angle of approximately 60 from horizontal. Ifthe angle is substantially less than 60, it will be found that slidingaction of the blocks is retarded and the material accumulates in theslot, re-

asas, 1 se sulting in the feeding ofimateria'l into the nip in aquantity suicient to permit excessive milling. This excessive millingdestroys theV desired fgraining effect on the surface of the sheetmaterial. The angle of the slot should be so adjusted that the blockswill slide down freely but be sufficiently retarded to permit the blocksto be -fed to the nip of the calender rolls in a controlled overlappingrelationship so that suiiicient extrusion is effected by the calenderrolls to form a solid sheet in which the composition blocks or particlesare present and can be identified by their general configurationcorresponding to the configuration of the individual blocks enteringinto the design.

In the particular embodiment of the invention described, the device ofthis invention is used to distribute blocks of color composition in acontrolled manner into the nip of a sheeting calender. It will beunderstood, of course, that the device is also suitable for use incontrolling the supply of color composition in other forms such asgranulated composition or sections of extruded or out rods, etc.Regardless of the form of color composition supplied to the slot 12, itis essential that the opening lin the slot be suiiicient to allow thematerial to pass freely therethrough but be restricted to the extentthat tumbling or rolling of the composition `as it passes through theslot is prevented. The angle of the slot -with respect to the horizontaland the opening of the slot may be adjusted to meet the requirements ofthe particular composition being used, bearing in mind that slidingaction of ther composition with respect to the slot is essential andthat tumbling or rolling action is undesirable.

It `will be obvious from the disclosure herein that I have developed adevice for uniformly distributing color composition Iacross the entirenip of a sheeting calender in such manner that suicient color`composition will be fed to the nip to form a continuous sheet but thesupply will be vrestricted to prevent excessive milling or churning ac'-tion in the lnip -of the calender rolls.

-I claim:

1. In an apparatus forproducing sheet material from a plurality ofindividual at color sheets, a continuously revolving Vchute conveyingthe color sheets at a constant rate; a plurality of receptaclespositioned in a circular plane immediately beneath the path of travel ofthe end of said revolving chute, the relationship between the positionof said receptacle and said chute being such that as the chute revolvesit delivers an equal number of color sheets to each receptacle; and aplurality of parallel chutes `leading from said receptacles to adischarge nozzle, the number of chutes corresponding to the number ofreceptacles, each receptacle being in communicarevolving chute, therelations-hip between the position of said .receptacles `and lsaid chutebeing such that as the chute evolves it delivers an equal number ofcolor sheets to each receptacle; a projecting slot extending to a-discharge nozzle; and a plurality of parallel chutes leading from saidreceptacles to said projecting slot, the number of chutes correspondingto the number of receptacles, each receptacle being in communicationwith only one chute and each chute being in communication with only onereceptacle.

3. .In an apparatus for producing sheet material from a plurality of 'atcolor sheets, a continuously revolving chute conveying the color sheetsat a constant rate; a plurality of receptacles positioned in a circularplane irnmediately beneaththe path of travel of the end of saidrevolving chute, the relationship between the position of saidreceptacles and said chute being such that as the chute Vrevolves itdelivers an equal number of color sheets to each receptacle; aprojecting slot nozzle, said projecting s'lot'nozz'le being disposed atan angle of 60 with respect to a horizontal plane; and a plurality ofparallel chutes leading from said receptacle to the projecting slotnozzle, the number of chutes corresponding to the number of receptacles,each receptacle being in communication with only one chute and eachchute being in communication with only one receptacle.

References Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS339,5'66 'Longsdon Apr. 6, 1886 987,834 Selden Mar, 28, 1911 1,145,215Roney Iuly 6, 1915 1,413,505 Stump Apr. 18, 1922 1,449,151 Searles Mar.20, 1923 1,702,341 Gillespie Feb. 19, 1929 2,531,526 Patterson Nov. 28,1950 2,531,527 Patterson Nov. 28, 1950 2,601,534 Lafoon June 24, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 253,775 Great Britain lune 24, 1925

